REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 49 



Through the kinduess of Prof. Benjamiu Silliman, son of, the eminent 

 savant in question, the model of this statue, in plaster, was presented 

 to the Institution and deposited in the National Museum, where it is 

 proposed to bring together as complete a collection as possible of busts 

 or portraits of the men whose work has definite lelationship to the ob- 

 jects of the Institution. 



The Institution received, in February, a comi)lete set of standard 

 weights and measures of the United States from Professor Hilgard, Su- 

 perintendent of the Coast Survey, and of the United States Department 

 of Weights and Measures. This set was placed in the Institution in ac- 

 cordance with the requirements of the act of Congress of March 3, 1881. 

 (Statutes, XXI, p. d'21..) 



The set (No. 40) consists of the following: 



1. Measure of length : A yard scale divided to inches and tenths, with 

 a matrix for the comparison of end yards. 



2. Weights: 25, 10, 5, 5, 2, 2, aud 1 pounds; 8, 4, 2, 1, ^, ^, and ^ 

 ounces, and 500, 200, 200, 100, 50, 20, 20, 10, 5, 2, 2, and 1 grains. 



3. Capacity measures, liquid: A gallon; a quart; a piut. 



4. Capacity measures, dry: A half-bushel; a peck; a half-peck; a 

 quart. 



Adjustments: The yard is a line measure and an end measure. The 

 jaws of the matiix forming the latter are given a slight slope. 



The yard scale is standard at 50^.8 Fahr. 



The bottom of the matrix is standard at 66°.4 Fahr. 



The top of the matrix exceeds the bottom by about three hundredths 

 (0.03) inch. 



The expansion of the brass scale may be assumed as 0.0003d inch for 

 lo F. 



The weights are so closely adjusted to the standards that any correc- 

 tions developed in the final comparisons are insensible. 



The liquid measures are adjusted to the temperature of 60° F. At 

 this temperature — 



The gallon = a standard gallon — 0.007 cubic inch. 



The quart = a standard quart — 0.003 cubic inch. 



The pint = a standard i^int — 0.005 cubic inch. 



The dry measures are adjusted to the temperature of the maximum 

 density of water. At this temperature — 



The half-bushel = standard -0.009 cubic inch. 



The peck = standard +0.007 cubic inch. 



The half-peck = standard -f 0.0003 cubic inch. 



The quart = standard +0.002 cubic inch. 



In a previous report mention was made of the present by Messrs. 

 Herring & Co., safe manufacturers, of New York City, of a fireproof 

 safe for the display of precious stones and metals belonging to the 

 National Museum. This safe, which was made, transported to Wash- 

 ington, and placed in the building at the expense entirely of the liberal 

 S. Mis. 33 4 



